How to Play Nonogram
New to Nonogram — also known as Picross, Hanjie or Griddlers? It is a picture-logic puzzle: the numbers beside each row and column tell you which cells to fill, and a hidden picture appears as you solve. No maths, no guessing — just logic. This guide covers the rules, how to read the clues and the moves to make first.
How to play Nonogram, step by step
- Get to know the grid — a Nonogram is a blank grid with number clues along the top of each column and the left of each row.
- Read a clue — the numbers for a line give the lengths of the filled blocks in that line, in order, with at least one empty cell between blocks.
- Fill what is certain — when a block must span most of a line, the overlap is always filled; a clue of 4 in a 5-wide row fills the middle 3 cells whichever way it slides.
- Mark empties with ✕ — cross out cells you have proven must be blank, since ruling cells out is as useful as filling them.
- Cross-check rows and columns — a cell filled from a row clue constrains its column clue and vice versa, so keep switching between the two.
- Work the biggest numbers first — long blocks have the least freedom, so they pin down the most cells.
- Never guess — every board has one solution reachable by logic; if stuck, re-read a clue rather than gambling. Finish to reveal the picture.
What is a Nonogram?
A Nonogram is a picture-logic puzzle on a grid, where number clues on each row and column tell you the lengths of the filled blocks, and shading the correct cells reveals a hidden picture. It goes by several names — Picross, Hanjie, Griddlers and Paint by Numbers — but the rules are always the same.
You are not adding anything: the numbers describe runs of filled cells, not sums. A clue of 3 1 means a block of three filled cells, then a gap, then a block of one, in that order along the line.
Reading the clues
Each line’s clue lists its filled blocks in order, separated by at least one empty cell; the gaps between blocks can be any size, but the blocks always appear in the sequence shown.
- A single number like 5 means one block of five filled cells somewhere in that line.
- 2 2 means a block of two, a gap of one or more, then another block of two.
- A 0 (or a blank clue) means the whole line stays empty.
Add up the blocks plus the minimum one-cell gaps between them, and compare with the line length — the tighter the fit, the more you can place straight away.
Your first move: the overlap
The classic opening is the overlap: when a block is long relative to the line, the cells it must cover no matter how it slides are always filled.
Imagine a row of five cells with the clue 4. The block of four could start at the far left or the far right, but in both positions it covers the middle three cells — so those three are certainly filled. Mark them, and the rest of the line often follows. Long blocks in short lines give the most overlap, so start there.
Nonogram for beginners: FAQ
Is Nonogram the same as Picross?
Yes. Nonogram, Picross, Hanjie, Griddlers and Paint by Numbers are all names for the same puzzle: fill the grid according to the row and column number clues to reveal a hidden picture. Picross is the name popularised by Nintendo.
How do the numbers in a Nonogram work?
The numbers beside a row or column list the lengths of the filled blocks in that line, in order, with at least one empty cell between consecutive blocks. They are not sums — a clue of "3 1" means a run of three filled cells, a gap, then a single filled cell.
What is the best way to start a Nonogram?
Use the overlap technique on the longest clues first: where a block must cover the middle of a line whichever way it sits, fill those certain cells. Then cross-check rows against columns and mark proven-empty cells with an ✕. Big numbers in short lines give the most certainty.
Do you need to be good at maths?
No. Nonograms use no arithmetic — the numbers describe block lengths, not sums. It is a pure logic and pattern puzzle, so anyone who can follow the clues can solve one.
Can every Nonogram be solved without guessing?
A well-made Nonogram has exactly one solution reachable by logic alone, so you never need to guess. Every board here is generated and checked to guarantee that single, logical solution.